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Watershed Information Center & Conservancy of Napa County
Mission Statement and Guiding Principles
The Watershed Information Center and Conservancy (WICC) of Napa County will guide and support community efforts to maintain and improve the health of Napa County's watershed lands.
- Collaboration is the most effective way to accomplish the mission of the WICC. In order to be collaborative, all organizations and individuals working in Napa County's watersheds will be encouraged to participate in the WICC.
- The WICC supports and promotes the activities of other watershed restoration organizations and facilitates cooperation among them. It does not undermine or compete with the mission and goals of these organizations.
- Participation in the WICC and provision of information to the WICC website is done voluntarily by agencies, organizations, and individuals.
- The WICC will be part of the solution to watershed issues and concerns. It will be politically neutral and not involved in the regulatory process but will collect and disseminate the best possible information to aid those involved in policy and decision-making.
- The WICC will seek monies and grants from foundations, private individuals, organizations, and local state and federal government agencies to address its financial needs and to further the mission and goals of the organization.
Goals, Actions and Priorities
History and Accomplishments
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In May 1998, State Senator Mike Thompson and District 3 County Supervisor Mel Varrelman convened a Watershed Planning Group, consisting of members from the agricultural, vintner, environmental, public, governmental, and building communities as well as other stakeholders. The charge of this group was to discuss and try to reach consensus on land use practices involving hillside development issues and their effects on the natural environment. In August 1998, the Napa County Board of Supervisors was asked by the Watershed Planning Group to approve a process for a more formal and comprehensive review of watershed management policies in the unincorporated areas of Napa County. This request ultimately led to the appointment and formation of a fifteen-member Napa River Watershed Task Force on December 8, 1998.
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The Task Force was charged with examining a variety of short term and longer term conservation strategies related to sustainable land use (both urban and agricultural), and the protection of natural resources and habitats in Napa County, while recognizing the critical role that Napa County agriculture plays in the regional economy and the quality of life. The Task Force was asked to advise the Board of Supervisors of their findings and provide practical recommendations on future short term and longer-term actions or policies to address priority issues. The Task Force's Phase I recommendations included ways to make existing County regulations more effective as well as long term recommendations to improve access to existing watershed data and to achieve watershed conservation goals.
During Phase I, the Task Force agreed on a set of general goals, key facts, and trends that are described in detail in the Phase I Interim Report submitted to the Board of Supervisors in May 1999. The Task Force reached consensus on a number of specific recommendations regarding the County's zoning regulations, particularly the Conservation Regulations, during Phase I. The Napa County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved these recommendations on May 18, 1999 following presentation of the Interim Report.
After the conclusion of Phase I, the Board of Supervisors reconvened the Watershed Task Force to reach consensus on a series of outstanding issues related to implementing a long-term management strategy for the Napa River watershed. The Task Force was charged with examining and making recommendations on specific provisions of the Conservation Regulations and with the further development of several long-term watershed management and information gathering functions, including a Watershed Information Center and a Watershed Conservancy. The Phase II Final Report provides recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on these issues.
In September of 2000 the Napa River Watershed Task Force released its Phase II Final Report. Two of the recommendations resulting from this multi-year study were the formation of a Watershed Information Center and Conservancy (WICC).
The Watershed Task Force identified overall goals for the Conservancy. These were to:
- Protect sensitive lands;
- Facilitate restoration of priority habitats;
- Support existing watershed stewardship programs;
- Partner with cities to address urban impacts and cost sharing; and
- Conduct fundraising.
The Watershed Task Force also identified overall goals for the Watershed Information Center. These were to:
- Coordinate research, monitoring and data management;
- Conduct public outreach and education; and
- Coordinate compilation of baseline watershed conditions.
Upon accepting the Phase II Report's recommendations, the Napa County Board of Supervisors appointed an Oversight Committee (Committee) to oversee the implementation of the policy-level recommendations contained in the Phase II Report. The Committee recommended the creation of a joint Watershed Information Center and Conservancy Board at its meeting on March 27, 2002, made final recommendations on the composition of the joint Board, and forwarded those recommendations on to the County Board of Supervisors. On May 7, 2002 the Board of Supervisors approved the Committee's recommendations and declared its intent to form the joint Board. On May 21, 2002 the County Board of Supervisors passed Resolution No. 02-103 creating the joint Watershed Information Center and Conservancy (WICC) Board.
